The present invention relates to an inexpensive and versatile shelf couple and shelf assembly for mounting shelves on walls, wall studs, rafters and inwardly sloping walls.
The prior art shelf brackets do not teach the use of a self-embedding barb located on a shelf bracket for securing a section of shelf thereto. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,042,033 entitled "Multipurpose Supporting Bracket" teaches the use of a multi-positional supporting bracket that mounts to exposed building framing members and which is able to support a shelf placed on top of the platform of the bracket. However, the bracket does not use a self-embedding barb to maintain the shelf from moving but uses an aperture placed in an upturned lip on the forward portion of the platform for securing the shelf to the bracket. This technique requires that holes be placed within the shelf and also makes it rather difficult to move the shelf once secured to the bracket.
The present invention, by using a self-embedding barb, overcomes this difficulty and allows the shelf to be fixedly supported by the shelf-gripping couple once it is properly positioned. Furthermore, the shelf board may be easily moved after it is placed on a couple by simple manual depression of the shelf board which causes the embedded barb to dislodge from the groove formed in the board.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 883,323, entitled "Bracket" uses teeth on the bracket assembly to embed in a shelf board placed between the two inverted L-portions of the invention, it is necessary for one placing a board within this device to manually press the upper inverted L-shaped portion down on the board and then clamp the upper inverted L-shaped portion to the lower inverted L-shaped portion so as to maintain physical pressure upon the shelf board.
The same type of problem exists with U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,772 entitled "Shelf Bracket" where the upper inverted L-shaped portion has a depressed ridge for impinging upon a lower inclined portion of the upper surface of the lower inverted L-shaped portion of the device. Again, the upper inverted L-shaped portion first must be manually depressed upon the shelf board placed between the two inverted L-shaped portions and then clamped to the lower inverted L-shaped portion by means of a screw.
The present invention overcomes this awkwardness by fixedly supporting a shelf board on shelf-gripping couples. Furthermore, the present invention utilizes a shelf trim channel which is snapped onto the adjacent front edges of two adjoining shelf boards so as to align the boards and give structural rigidity across their adjoining edges. The use of this shelf trim channel with a rear shelf clip, also disclosed in the present invention, allows one to construct a shelf of any desired length with any number of shelf boards while maintaining structural rigidity throughout the entire length of the shelf. Furthermore, a pleasing appearance to the constructed shelving is obtained by obscuring the forward edge junction of adjoining shelf boards.
In addition, the present invention also discloses a cover that fits over the unitary shelf brackets and thus enhances the appearance of the couple assembly. The use of such a cover, along with the shelf trim channel to yield a pleasing appearance to an inexpensive shelf couple assembly is not disclosed or suggested in the prior art inventions.
Although the use of wall-embedding shelf clips is taught by several prior art patents, (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,098,227 entitled "Shelf Bracket"; 1,517,959 entitled "Shelf Bracket"; 2,849,123 entitled "Demountable Expanding Shelf"; and 2,261,078 entitled "Shelf and Mounting Therefor") these brackets do not contain an arcuate portion terminating with wall-embedding spurs. The arcuate portion allows the clip to be easily inserted into a wall for a predetermined depth. Therefore, the upwardly extending tab of the clip is maintained at a set distance from the wall and thus keeps the shelf borads with which it contacts at a prescribed distance from the wall. Thus, in the present invention, the rear shelf clip provides structural support and alignment where two adjoining shelf boards meet.
Furthermore, the present shelf hanger assembly discloses a rafter shelf hanger that has a rafter mounting plate that is mounted to an exposed roof rafter. This hanger further incorporates an upper horizontal platform that supports the rearward portion of a shelf board and a lower horizontal platform that supports the forward portion of a second, lower, shelf board. These hangers, when used in conjunction with the above mentioned shelf trim channels and rear shelf clips, allow one to construct a shelf of any length wherever inclined walls or rafters exist; such as in a typical home attic. This shelf hanger assembly is not taught or suggested by any of the prior art patents.
The different parts of this invention cooperate to form a unique shelf-mounting system, well adapted to accommodate shelves of standard 10 inch and 12 inch width, as well as many other different widths, from 4 inches up to 16 inches or more, if desired. The shelf-gripping couples of this invention actually bite into the mounted shelf, coupling it firmly to the wall and counteracting the tipping moment created by objects loaded on the shelf with an opposite moment or "couple" serving to anchor the shelf even more firmly to the wall. This biting, shelf-gripping action prevents inadvertent jarring or dislodging of mounted shelves, and permits the same basic coupled to grip and support shelves of all standard thickness; the conventional pressed particle board and plywood thicknesses of 5/8-inch and 3/4-inch, and the conventional wooden shelf board thickness standardized by the lumber industry at approximately 25/32 -inches.